The activities of the Generation research centre are currently paused due to changes in staffing at Cliff College. Please contact Ed Mackenzie on e.mackenzie@cliffcollege.ac.uk if you have any questions about its work and future plans.
About the Centre
Generation: The Centre for the Study of Youth, Children and Families (YCF) Mission and Ministry aims to provide a space for research and conversations on evangelical approaches to ministry and mission among YCF, including a focus on how children, youth and families are integrated into the life of the church.
Generation will host termly forums aimed at practitioners and academics seeking to explore the theology of YCF ministry. As such, Generation aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice in YCF ministry and grapple with the theological issues it raises.
While based at Cliff, Generation will also work with a range of significant partners working in the area of YCF ministry, and a Council of Reference will ensure that the centre focuses on issues that are relevant and timely for those working in this area.
The Co-Directors of the Centre are Gareth Crispin (Programme Lead for the BA Mission and Ministry) and Ed Mackenzie (Lecturer in Biblical Theology and Mission).
Centre activities
Generation hosts three research forums per year, usually hybrid events held at Cliff College and online. A typical forum includes presentations on a topic from two or three presenters, followed by time for discussion in groups and a Q&A session with the presenters and Centre hosts. Previous topics have included 'how are children spiritual', 'sexual ethics and contemporary culture' and 'evangelism to youth, children and families in a secular age'. You can watch recordings of all presentations from previous forums on our YouTube channel using the link below.
If you have any queries about the Centre, please get in touch with Ed Mackenzie (e.mackenzie@cliffcollege.ac.uk).